President Bola Tinubu is expected to name a new Minister of Defence this week following the sudden resignation of the incumbent, Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down citing health concerns.
Abubakar’s resignation, effective immediately, was communicated in a letter dated December 1 and formally addressed to the President. The announcement was made Monday evening in a statement released by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
“In a letter dated December 1, sent to President Bola Tinubu, Abubakar said he was quitting on health grounds,” the statement noted.
According to Onanuga, the President has accepted the resignation and expressed appreciation for Abubakar’s service to the country.
He added that Tinubu is expected to notify the Senate of a new nominee before the end of the week, signalling that the process for appointing a replacement is already in motion.
Abubakar, 63, previously served two terms as governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023 before joining the federal cabinet as Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023.
